Wildflowers from Winter
Katie Ganshert
Note: I was given this book for review by Waterbrook Press through Bloggingforbooks.org No other compensation was received, and this is my full and honest opinion of the book.
I'll be honest. I didn't do a whole heck of a lot of research when I picked this book for review. The title sounded good and I really wanted something hard copy to read. Done deal.
I was excited when the book arrived in the mail, but with moving and trying to get settled and then moving again, I had a hard time picking the book up at first. Finally I found the time. Just reading the Prologue caught me. After the first sentence I was intrigued. I wanted to read more. To know more. That sentence grabbed me and screamed my name. Just a couple chapters in and I was hooked. If I had a spare moment, I wanted to read more. I wanted to go further on this journey with Bethany, Evan, Robin, and Dan. I could imagine where the characters would end up, but I couldn't see how or when and that really gave me the motivation to plow through. Every time I had to stop reading but hadn't reached the crucial moment I was looking for, left me counting down til the time I could pick it back up! This was an amazingly dimensional story that kept my emotions right on the edge, waiting to see what would happen.
While I am a woman with faith, the part of me that still struggles with my faith tends to pull away from things that talk too much about God, or faith, or church, etc. It's an old habit I suppose. While Wildflowers from Winter was certainly focused on faith it wasn't in your face. There were many other details that kept me focused, like the message of faith was in the background. Working silently and quietly in me as I read. I really appreciated that. It really added to the character of the book and spoke volumes to me, personally.
I would recommend this to almost anyone.
If you are somewhere along your faith journey, this is a good book for you.
If you have turned away from God, whatever the reason, and no longer see him, wish to see him, or maybe you never did. This is a good book for you.
If you enjoy reading books with a healthy dose of emotional turmoil, this book is for you. If you dislike reading books that have messages of faith, but do enjoy romance, tales of hardship, and really like reading those details that transport you into the story, this is a good book for you too.
Great review! I finished the book a few weeks ago and I totally agree--the book is good for so many people, regardless of where they are in their life or in their faith.